At the Ceremony, Usain Bolt and Simone Biles were named Laureus Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year, following their outstanding performances in 2016
They are the little and large of sport – Usain stands 1.95 metres, while Simone measures just 1.45 metres – but they were both giants at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, and enjoyed an ecstatic welcome as they received their Statuettes at the Laureus World Sports Awards Ceremony in Monaco today. Bolt joins sporting greats Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Kelly Slater as four-time Laureus Award winner.
The Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games produced three more Laureus winners: Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all-time, won Comeback of the Year after he returned to swimming and scooped five more gold medals; Italy’s Beatrice Vio, the only quadruple amputee in international wheelchair fencing, won the Disability Award, and the Olympic Refugee Team, led by Tegla Loroupe, won the Laureus Sport for Good Award for Sporting Inspiration.
The prestigious Laureus Sport for Good Award, won by an organization or individual who, in the opinion of the members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, has used the power of sport to overcome violence, discrimination or disadvantage, went to Waves for Change. The South African based project uses the sport of surfing project for vulnerable young adults growing up in South Africa’s most violent communities.
After finishing second in the Formula One World Championship to his Mercedes AMG Petronas team-mate Lewis Hamilton in 2014 and 2015, Germany’s Nico Rosberg at last won his first world title and he was presented with the Laureus Breakthrough of the Year Award.
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